Florida leads immigrant arrests in the U.S.: over 10,400 detained in joint operations

Florida has become one of the states with the highest level of immigration control in the United States following Donald Trump's return to the White House, with raids, arrests, and judicial decisions being reported almost daily on social media and local news outlets.

The governor Ron DeSantis stated that Florida leads the nation in arrests of undocumented immigrants, with over 10,400 arrests made in the past eight months as part of joint operations with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"Florida leads the nation in 287(g) agreements with the DHS, allowing our state and local law enforcement agencies to participate in the enforcement of immigration laws across all 67 counties," DeSantis wrote on the social media platform X.

According to the governor, since the launch of Operation Black Tide, state law enforcement has been working in coordination with federal authorities to apprehend and expel undocumented immigrants from the country, which he described as the largest joint immigration control operation in ICE's history.

"We take pride that you continue here in Florida," DeSantis added, emphasizing the state's role as a spearhead in the immigration policy driven from Washington.

ICE highlights Florida as a key partner

The official account of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shared the message from the governor and described Florida as one of its strongest allies in the implementation of the 287(g) program, which allows state and local police to act as immigration agents.

The tightening of immigration policies has generated concern and fear among immigrant communities, particularly in a state like Florida, where hundreds of thousands of people live in irregular situations, including many Latin Americans and Cubans.

Social media posts report raids in neighborhoods, arrests during traffic checks, and expedited court appearances, within a context of increasing state and federal pressure against irregular migration.

While the Florida government defends these actions as a measure of "safety and law enforcement," civil rights advocacy organizations warn of potential abuses, racial profiling, and family separation amid a migratory offensive that shows no signs of slowing down.